Energized 11-15-03

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="042d05a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Big Ring Media Team, Inc.</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Big Ring Media Team, Inc."><B>home</B></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="043d2123.jpg"> <div> Click on this link to return to <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Word Watch by Subject">Word Watch by Subject</A>.</div> <div> Click on this link to go to <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Word Watch by Date">Word Watch by Date</A>.</div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Energized 11-15-03</I></div> <div> Lately we've uncovered several uses of the word, “energized.” “The Board was energized to start a fundraising drive.” “Energized by an 81-horsepower Isuzu diesel engine...”</div> <div> We generally avoid the use of words that call attention to themselves, which “energized” certainly does. If readers focus on the language, they're not focusing on the message.</div> <div> There are times when choosing the exact right word adds so much to the message that the use of the word is justified. Neither of these examples fits that format. In fact, it would be hard to imagine a context where “energized” would add enough impact to compensate for the distraction it creates.</div> <div> The risk of using “energized” and other business babble is not only that it obscures the message, but that it also erodes the credibility of the writer. It's as if the writer were an eighth grader who latched onto a word overheard in adults' conversation and is now using that word to impress the teacher. There is no “A” for such nonsense.</div> <div> We use plain English. When we want to create something different or memorable or wonderful, there are a thousand ways to do it. “Energized” isn't one of them.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>